Russian non gratae diplomats leaving EU

In a wake of Skripals case, upon London request to the allies and partners to demonstrate solidarity over “highly likely” Moscow‘ attack on double agent in Salisbury, Russian diplomats were declared personae non grata and subsequently expelled from EU member-states. However the most of them had to leave the U.S. to further detriment of relations between Moscow and Washington, which already had hit the lowest since Cold War era.

The UK expelled 23 Russian diplomats and suspended all planned high-level bilateral contacts. In response, 23 British diplomats were expelled from Russia. In addition, Britain’s consulate in St. Petersburgwas ordered to be closed and the British Council’s operations in Russia were recalled.

The Support that we’ve received from our friends and allies in Europe after the Salisbury attack shows we still have significant influence and bodes well for the successful outcome to the #Brexit negotiations. pic.twitter.com/ugOl3Cp8PU

On March 26, the United States declared 60 Russian diplomats personae non gratae. Among them are 46 diplomats from the embassy in Washington, two from the consulate general in New York and 12 more from Russia’s mission to the United Nations.

(1/3) The manner of and timing of Russian diplomatic expulsions is poor diplomacy. The expulsions occurred 12 hours after one of the worst building fires in post Soviet history, which killed at least 64. Russians will see the timing as gratuitous.